In response to RFA CA-03-011 Community Clinical Oncology Program, National Cancer institute, the Carle Cancer Center, Urbana, Illinois is making an application to continue to be designated as a CCOP in East Central Illinois. As the second largest private medical group practice in Illinois, with nearly 300 physicians, the Carle Clinic Association has a fully developed community cancer center program, which has been involved in national clinical trials research since 1976. The Carle Cancer Center has been continuously funded as a CCOP since the program's inception in 1983. Joining Carle in this CCOP application as component institutions are the Joliet Oncology Hematology Associates in Joliet, Illinois, Rush-Copley Cancer Center in Aurora, Illinois, and the National Cancer Institute of Mexico in Mexico City, Mexico. The combined Carle Cancer Center CCOP provides services to cancer patients from a large catchment area of 38 counties in east central Illinois and western Indiana, 4 counties south and southwest of Chicago, Illinois and in Mexico City, Mexico. The headquarters for the CCOP is located at the Carle Cancer Center with all randomizations, administrative matters and quality assurance programs managed in Urbana, Illinois. The CCOPs primary research base is the North Central Cancer Treatment Group. There are also strong affiliations with the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group and the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project. A new affiliation with the MD Anderson Cancer Center was begun in 2001. The Carle Cancer Center and it's affiliates have dedicated clinical research associates, nurses, and administrative staff to assist 30 investigating medical and radiation oncologists in placing patients and participants on clinical research trials that should result in approximately 135 treatment credits and 210 cancer control credits annually. The goal of the Carle Cancer Center CCOP is to provide progressive state of the art cancer care and prevention to individuals within their own communities. To this end, access and participation in NCI clinical trials of cancer prevention, detection and treatment offer the highest standard of care and the brightest hope for the future.